NEW YORK CITY — Chesapeake Lodging Trust is converting its property at 30-32 West 31st St. in New York City to the Hyatt Herald Square. The conversion is expected to occur after the completion of a $6 million renovation. The new property is expected to open in the third quarter of this year. Designed by Paul Vega of New York-based VLDG designs, the transformation will include an all-inclusion renovation to each of the 122 guestrooms and a redesign of the lobby and the food and beverage experience. Chesapeake Lodging Trust has entered into a franchise agreement with a Hyatt affiliate to convert the property.
JEFFERSON CITY, MO. — American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP (AHIP) has completed the renovation of Oak Tree Inn, which is located at 1710 Jefferson St. in Jefferson City. The $1 million renovation included the implementation of Oak Tree Inn’s brand standards at the 77-room property, including noise, light and temperature control features. The property was purchased in 2013, and is now under a long-term railway contract with a leading U.S. railroad customer. Through its wholly owned indirect subsidiaries, AHIP currently owns 38 hotels in 20 states.
NEW YORK CITY — IHG has opened Crowne Plaza JFK Airport New York City hotel in Jamaica. Located at 138-10 135th Ave., the 330-room hotel features Internet access, free parking, extended dining and bar service hours, a fitness center, a zen room for yoga and meditation, and the brand’s Sleep Advantage program. Additionally the hotel offers 5,000 square feet of meeting space, including 10 meeting rooms and a ballroom.
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Windsor/Aughtry Co., a commercial real estate developer and brokerage firm based in Greenville, plans to develop a 156-suite Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Greenville. The hotel will be located along River Street and the Reedy River within RiverPlace, a mixed-use development featuring residential, office and dining components. The hotel will feature a restaurant and bar at the lobby level, a roof-top deck, board rooms, banquet facilities, an indoor pool, business center and fitness center.
OMAHA, NEB. — Lodging Dynamics Hospitality Group LLC has acquired the Staybridge Suites, located at 7825 Davenport St. in Omaha for an undisclosed price. The 106-room hotel opened in 2011 and is located a short distance from many Omaha attractions. Lloyd Farley of Paramount Lodging Advisors represented the buyer in the transaction.
ELIZABETH, N.J. — Embassy Suites Hotels has opened the 189 two-room Embassy Suites Elizabeth-Newark, which is located at 95 Glimcher Realty Way in Elizabeth. Owned and operated by Sun Development and Management Corp., the property features three all-purpose meeting spaces, an open lobby, complimentary breakfast, a fitness center, an indoor pool, a whirlpool and the Liberty Grille Restaurant.
LOS ANGELES – The 170-room SpringHill Suites by Marriott has broken ground in Burbank. The $44-million, 102,075-square-foot hotel is located on the south side of San Fernando Boulevard between Providencia and Santa Anita streets in the city’s downtown region. SpringHill Suites will be built by R.D. Olson Construction and designed by Awbrey Cook McGill Architects. It will feature Marriott’s Gen 4.5 design, which focuses on weekday business travelers and weekend leisure guests. The design will also pay tribute to the area’s entertainment and media industries. R.D. Olson Development will retain ownership of the hotel once it is complete in spring 2015. Marriott International will provide management services.This is R.D. Olson’s second Marriott brand development in Burbank. The firm also developed the 166-room Residence Inn by Marriott Burbank in 2007.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the sale of a 123-room Hampton Inn in Austin. Constructed in 1997 and renovated in 2012, the six-story hotel is located at 4141 Governors Row, in proximity to the interchange of State Highway 71 and Interstate 35. Amenities include a 430-square-foot meeting room, business center and outdoor swimming pool. Allan Miller and Chris Gomes of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, a joint venture between a California family trust and a Texas-based private investor, in the transaction. David Greenberg, also of Marcus & Millichap, represented the buyer, Moody National REIT I Inc.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — L’Enfant DC Hotel LLC has purchased L’Enfant Plaza Hotel, a landmark, 372-room hotel in downtown Washington, D.C., for an undisclosed amount. The hotel is located near The National Mall, The Washington Monument and The Smithsonian. L’Enfant Plaza Hotel features 21,000 square feet of conference and banquet space, a 700-seat ballroom, two restaurants, two bars, a coffee kiosk, retail spaces, health club, business center and a rooftop pool. The buyer plans to renovate the hotel and bring it to Four Diamond status. The hotel is slated to re-open in 2015.
ATLANTA — PMZ Realty Capital LLC, a real estate investment/banking firm, has arranged a $20 million loan for The Glenn Hotel in Atlanta. The Glenn Hotel is a 110-room property located in downtown Atlanta’s Luckie Marietta district. The hotel is part of the Marriott Autograph Collection.